Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-04-06
The ACADEMY or MUSIC.
Its Sale About as Queer a Transac-
.ion as Ever Transmitted.

Its Sale About as Queer a Transac-
ton ais Ever Iranspired.
NEW YORK, April 2.-~Once in a while
A sensation turns up in theatrical circles
that nothing can kill. Whenever half a
dozen men interested in pueblo entertain
ment get together some one is sure to
sneak sooner or later of the recent sale OF
he Academy OF Music. Once started
mere is no end TO the talk. A group of
nan in the Hotel Brunswick were dis
cussing the subject the other day when a
nrominent real estate broker cleared his
throat and SAID:
'sThe true story OF that sale has not yet
beeu told. There will be big row over
il vet because it was about as queer q
transaction of the kind that ever trans
njred in New York in a real estate way,
and that's saying a good deal. 1t seems
10 have been put up job by few Of the
stockholders to crowd the others out and
yet the property into their own hands at
a low price. Very little advertising was
done and the sale was made in the midst
of a lot of other sales and in way en-
tirely unbetitting its Importance:
Clarence r. Seward, the attorney, and
William B. Dinsmore, the purchaser,
stood on the block behind the auctioneer
talking contidentially and evidently per-
fecting some arrangement. When the
property was put up there
was no bid from the crowd for a
moment, and then Mr.. Dinsmore leaned
over to the auctioneer and bid $4,000
At the very same moment Gustav AM
berg, of the ITALIA Theatre, man OF en-
tire responsibility, also made bid OF
$4,000 The auctl0neer said that 10 per
cent. OF the purchase money would have
to be paid down at once. Mr.. Amberg
stepped up and explained that he did not
know of such rule, and had only brought
$4,000 with him. He asked for delay
of a few minutes till he could go across
the street to his bankers and get the
necessary money. The auctiOneer paid
40 attention to the request, but ratified
along noisily, knocking the property
down to Mr.. DinsmOre for his first bid of
$300,000, and giving MIR. Amberg no
chance whatever. The sale was farce
from beginning to end, for the land alone
is worth far more than the amount paid
for the whole property. AS AN evidence
OF this it may be recalled that offers of
$4,000 year rental have been received
by the directors. A property that will
rent for that amount is worth 100000 or
100000 on the smallest estimate" EX-
actly what will be done with the academy
is not clear, but it seems likely that it
bination theatre like the Grand Opera
House. Col. Mapleson has also put in an
offer for it for his revival OF Italian opera
next season. 1t would appear that the
Colonel by some miraculous and agile
turn of fortunes wheel is again on his
feet. He has turned up in London with
q troupe OF singers, including Hastreiter,
Emma Nevada and Van Zanten, and is
prepared to take England by storm. That
be will come to America is certain, and
it is by no means improbable that he will
get back in his old stronghold, the Acade-
my of Music, again. Writing of opera
reminds me of few nights ago at the
Metropolitan. | had been wandering
around the lobbies between the acts and
mounting fight after flight of stairs until
found myself In the upper gallery. The
height was appalling. The ballet girls
looked like teetotums. Their legs
could pot be seen at all. Nothing but
the tops of their heads, their bony
shoulders and the circle of fleecv skirts.
noticed that there was a great crowd OF
well-dressed men in this upper lott who
slumbered peacefully through the acts
but walked to extraordinary activity as
soon as the curtain fell and the lights
we're turned up. They were all armed
with opera glasses, and they leveled
them intently on tne liberal display Of
feminine charms in the boxes below,
staring hard till the lights were turned
down and the curtain rose. Then they
leaned back and slumbered comfortably
away till the next entreact. That is, to
me, new way of enjoying the opera.
BLAKELY HALL.